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The monster’s mother is one of the three main antagonists of the Beowulf poem, along with Grendel himself and the dragon: different versions have referred to her as both a “female monster,” a “warrior-woman,” and even “the monstrous bride from hell.” This paper examines the episode of the battle between her and the protagonist, Beowulf, and hypothesizes on its underlying significance.
Debates among scholars about the nature of Grendel’s mother have been continuing since Beowulf first saw the light of day and have not stopped yet. The author’s description of her connection with water can already be seen (Heaney 2000, 1259-1260). When the warriors assemble a party and follow her trail, they come ashore and realize that the mother of the Grendel is in her domain – deep in the lake.
The aquatic nature not only allows Grendel’s mother to set sea creatures against Beowulf but also to dodge the blows of his sword Hrunting while dragging him to the depths. Later, the sword with the name can still do her no harm, and Beowulf would have died if God had not given him strength (Heaney 2000, 1555-1557). In the end, the hero kills Grendel’s mother with the sword without a name found there – a legacy of ancient giants. It is symbolic that only a sword without a name could cut off the head of a creature without a name, outside the categories.
Considering references to God’s help, this battle can be perceived as a battle between Christianity and paganism, in which Grendel’s mother represents the quintessence of evil (1498). She and her son are outcasts, strangers in the world of men whom they hate and consider enemies, having made their lair at the bottom of a lake in the middle of swamps and gorges. After her death and the beheading of Grendel’s body, the blade of the sword withers away, leaving only the hilt – it has served its purpose.
To summarize the above, the interpretation of the specific meaning of Grendel’s mother’s role remains vague. She is dangerous and unexpected, as dangerous as a maelstrom in the calm water – the protagonist did not suspect until the last that he could not handle her with the help of such a reliable Hrunting. Her watery nature also accounts for her lack of a name – she is as transparent and fluid as water and dissolves into the narrative after Beowulf’s victory.
Work Cited
Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf: A New Verse Translation. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2000.
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